This Penetrating Curing Agent is an impressive alternative to traditional cure and seal products.
Ameripolish PCA (Penetrating Curing Agent) chemically hardens and dust-proofs concrete for improved abrasion resistance without forming a coating. Recommended for new concrete pours, PCA adds initial water and stain repellency while retaining slab moisture for improved curing. PCA requires no UV light for dissipation and can be used with integrally colored concrete.
Penetrating Curing Agent Strengthens at Cure
- Improves cure by retaining slab moisture
- Drastically reduces crazing and map cracking
- Highly penetrating, non-film forming – no need to grind or chemically remove layer to seal and burnish
- Forms a hydrophobic barrier and increases stain repellency
- Greatly improves abrasion resistance
- Helps reduce efflorescence and minimizes dust for healthier indoor air quality
- Replaces traditional cure and seal products on new concrete
Top 3 Reasons Traditional Cure and Seal Products Fail
- Crazing (map cracking) – due to early surface drying and slab shrinkage
- Scuffing – doesn’t penetrate and protect within the slab
- Yellowing – doesn’t have the stability to protect against UV light
How is PCA different from other curing agents? Older generation cure and seal products form a membrane at the surface of concrete to retain moisture for curing, which can result in a variety of flooring challenges:
- Soft, porous surface leads to pitting, crazing and map cracking
- Very low abrasion resistance shows forklifts or tire marks, scuffing and overall wear deterioration
- Discoloration or “yellowing” of floor surface
In addition, topical cure and seals must be mechanically or chemically removed before grinding and/or polishing the new flooring surface. PCA actually soaks into the surface, leaving no topical residue.
How well does PCA work as a curing agent? PCA delivers proven results. A study by American Engineering Testing, Inc. performed on fresh concrete compares a non-treated control slab versus one treated with Ameripolish PCA. While the control slab is only able to retain 70% of its moisture in a 72-hour period, the surface using PCA keeps 93.6% in the same time-frame. Other findings:
- PCA eliminated any crazing experienced by the control slab when subjected to high temperature and rapid air movement
- PCA improves abrasion resistance
- PCA retains 23.6% more moisture overall
- PCA is an effective curing agent and finishing aid
Expanded Benefits of Ameripolish PCA
Other curing agents only retard moisture loss to varying degrees. In addition to moisture retention, PCA actually strengthens the concrete surface by improving abrasion resistance.
- PCA has also been shown to be very effective at reducing surface defects, including crazing
- PCA coverage rate is dramatically higher: 1,000 – 1,500 ft.2 per gallon, when applying product with microfiber mop
- PCA has a lower than average cost per square foot than leading competitors
- PCA is the best solution when grinding and polishing
- PCA is the best solution when doing a seal and burnish application
- PCA is better than traditional cure and seal products, regardless of the application
Harsh chemical strippers or aggressive metal bond abrasives are no longer needed to remove PCA – like traditional topical curing products.
What are the cost-benefits of using PCA as a curing agent? True film-forming curing agents always require removal prior to preparing the concrete further. Many dissipative cures may also require removal due to certain environmental requirements, such as UV exposure, to degrade the material. PCA does not need removal, saving labor and material costs.
Ameripolish & Runyon Surface Prep
Founded in 2005, Ameripolish revolutionized the concrete polishing industry by introducing solvent based, concrete penetrating dyes. Since then, the Ameripolish product development team has continued to unveil cutting edge technology to prep, strengthen, color, protect and maintain polished concrete floors. Runyon Surface Prep is proud to carry Ameripolish architectural concrete products.